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Expert group consensus from the Arabian Peninsula on the diagnosis of Late Onset Pompe Disease (LOPD)

Objective and Method

Consensus based on literature supporting clinical presentation and recommendations

Literature Analysis on LOPD Symptoms (Neurology): Hierarchy of Evidence

Neurology-Specific Clinical Presentation for Pediatric/Juvenile*and Adult# LOPD Proposed During the First Meeting

 

Pediatric/Juvenile* LOPD
  • Delayed motor milestones
  •  Low/absent reflexes
  •  Mild facial muscle weakness
  •  HyperCKemia/paucisymptomatic
  •  Negative SMA/DMD
  •  Shortness of breath at rest or on effort
  •  Muscle pain and elevated ALT/AST
  •  Gait abnormalities
  •  Scoliosis/scapular winging
  •  Disproportional weakness of the neck flexors and difficulty in raising the head
Adult# LOPD
  • LGMW
  •  Swallowing difficulties
  •  Frequent falls
  •  Difficulty chewing/jaw muscle fatigue
  •  Difficulty in walking and climbing stairs
  •  Double-seronegative MG
  •  Muscle pain and elevated ALT/AST
  •  Gait abnormalities
  •  HyperCKemia/paucisymptomatic
  •  Unexplained myopathy
  •  Scoliosis/scapular winging


High CK/elevated LDH,
ALT,and AST

 

                                  

Family history of unexplained
muscle weakness or respiratory
failure

Proposed Diagnostic Algorithm for Neurologists During the Second Meeting

Conclusion

Recommendation

Testing for Pompe disease must be done if any one specialty-specific symptom plus elevated CK/LDH/ALT/AST or a family history of unexplained muscle weakness is prese

 

*The age of patients with pediatric/juvenile LOPD ranges from 1 to 17 years; #The age of patients with adult LOPD is usually 18 years and above.

Abbreviations

ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; CK: Creatine kinase; DBS: Dried blood spot testing; DMD: Duchenne muscular dystrophy; KSA: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; LDH: Lactate dehydrogenase; LGMW: Limb–girdle muscle weakness; LOPD: Late-onset Pompe disease; MG: Myasthenia gravis; SMA: Spinal muscular atrophy; UAE: United Arab Emirates.

Reference

  1. Al Shehri A, Al-Asmi A, Al Salti AM, et al. A multidisciplinary perspective addressing the diagnostic challenges of late-onset Pompe disease in the Arabian Peninsula region developed from an Expert Group Meeting. J Neuromuscul Dis. 2022;9(5):661–673.
MAT-KW-2300243 V1 Jul 2023